Cornelis p



c. F. M VAN BERKEL. CLAMP FOR SUCING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 15. WIT.

1315,751. PatentedSept. 9, 1919.

7217922 Z07 C'arzzeZz's 727?. men Ber/T122 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CORNELIS I M. VAN BERKEL, OF LAPOB'IE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO U. S. SLIGING MACHINE COMPANY, OF LALPORTE, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

CLAMP FOR SLICING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 9, 1919.

Application filed August 15, 1917. Serial No. 186.403.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CORNELIS F. M. VAN BERKEL, a subject of the Queen of the Netherlands, residing at Laporte, in the county of Laporte and State of Indiana, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in. Clamps for Slicing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device for hold ing material while it is being cut by a slicing machine, and has for its object the provision of an article of the character named which shall be of improved construction nd more eflicieut and convenient in operation than devices of this character previously known.

The invention is exemplified in the combination and arrangement of the parts shown in the accompanying drawing and described in the following specification, and it is more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a clamp embodying one form of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view looking from the right in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the mechanism shown in Figs. 1 and 2; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical section showing details of construction.

In slicing machines of the character commonly in use the material to be sliced is clamped upon a plate or support which is mounted to slide upon a reciprocating table. Such a table is represented at 1 in the drawg, a d the sliding plate or support is shown at 2. The plate 2 may be provided with a pair of upright posts or standards 3 and 4, upon which is mounted the clamp for the material shown at 5. The clamp proper consists of two bars 6 and 7 which have their ends pivoted together by a bolt 8 which passes through openings in pins 9 and 10 swiveled in the ends of the bars 6 and 7 respectively. The end of the bar 6, opposite the bolt 8, is mounted on a pivot bolt 11, carried by a clutch collar 12 which surrounds the standard 4. The clutch collar 12 is provided with an olf-set arm 13 overlying the upper surface of the clamping bar 6 so that when the bar 6 is tilted to a predetermined angle about the pivot 11, it will engage a set screw 14in the end of the arm 13 and release the clamping action of the collar 12 upon the post 4. When the bar 6 is pressed firmly into engagement with the material 5, the collar 12 grips the post 4 and holds the bar against upward moven'ient. The pin 10 has a limited swiveling movemel'it in the end of the bar 7, so that when the bar 7 is raised the clamping bar 6 will be held at such an angle to the horizontal that the clutch collar 12 will be maintained in alinement with the post 4 so that it will slide freelyjn either direction along the post i. The mechanism thus far described is shown and claimed in Patent No. 1,175,025 to \V. A. van Berkel, upon which patent this invention is an improvement, but it should be understood that the novel. features of this invention are applicable to other forms of clamping devices than that shown in the patent referred to.

The end of the clamping bar 7 which slides upon the upright 3 is provided with an elongated bearing 15 which slides upon the post 3, and is of sufficient length to prevent binding between the bearing and the post. Above the bearing 15 is a chamber 16, in which is mounted a clutch plate 17 having an opening therethrough which loosely surrounds the post 3 in a manner to grip the post when the plate is tilted obliquely. The plate 17 rests upon a fulcrum ridge 18 pro jccting upwardly from the floor of the chamher 16, and the end of the plate on the opposite side of the post from the fulcrum 18 is provided with a coil spring 19 which normally tilts the plate into position to grip the post 3 to hold the bar 7 against upward movement. The chamber 16 is provided with a removable cover plate 20, which carries a lug or shoulder 21 in position to engage the end of the plate 17 when the plate is in position to permit free movement of the bar 7 along the post 3.

A second clutch plate 22 surrounds the post 3 above the chamber 16 and is provided with an elongated bearing surface 23 at one side thereof. This elongated bearing surface prevents tilting of the plate into position to grip the post 3 in such a way as to hold the plate against downward movement along the post, but permits gripping of the post by the plate to hold the plate against upward movement. A projection 24 extends from on side of the clutch plate 22 between the legs of a loop bar 26 to hold the clutch plate from rotation about the post 3.

A lever 28 is carried by a pivot 29 supported above the end of the clamping bar 7 and is provided with an extension arranged to engage the lower surface, of the pro ection 24; when the lever 28 :is moved downwardly, as shown in Fig. 4. A second projection 31 is carried by the lever 28 ih position to engage the upper surface of the clamping plate 17 when the lever is tilted upwardly, as shown in Fig, 2. When this last occurs the clamping plate 17 is tilted about the fulcrum ridge 18 until the end of the plate engages the shoulder 21, thus br n in the openin in the plateinto alinement wlth the post f, so that the bar 7 will slide freely upon the post.

To place a piece of meat, or other material, into the machine to be sliced, the operator grasps the handle 28 and lifts upwardly thereon. This movement causes the projection 31 to engage the clutch plate 17 and move this plate into position to slide freely along the post 3. At the same time the clutch plate 22 is freed from the projection 30 and falls into position to rest upon the upper surface of the cover for the chamber 16. This leaves the bar 7 free to slide upon the post 3, and the upward pull of the operator upon the lever 28 will raise the clainp to any'desired height. The upward movement'of the bar 7 tilts the'clamping bar 6 into position to release the clutch loop 12 so that it also slides freely upon the. 9on4. While the clamp is in its upperposition the material 5 may be inserted beneath the clamping bar 6 without difiicnlty since there is no post upon the plate 2 at the corner of the plate adjacent the pivot bolt 8. After the material has been inserted in place, the clamp may be lowered bodily until the lower surface of the bar 6 contacts with the upper ortion of the material 5. When this occurs urther lowering of the clamp 'v'vill cause the bar 6 "to tilt about the material 5 as a fulcrum, forcing the pivot 11' upwardly and thus causing the clutch loop 12 to grip the post n) resist upwardmovement, Further downward pressure ca u ss bar '6 to clamp the material the supporting plate 2. clai ping pressure is neatly increased by the operation o the fever 28. When'the bar 7 hasihoved ownward as far as it will go by gravity, the operator presses downwardly upon the lever 28 which causes the projection 30 to engage the under surface of on clutch plate" 2, which in turn ips the 'ost 3"and forms afixed bearing orthe proiiatiOn 30'. Downward ressure upon the handle 28 is transmitte to the p vot in 29,an'd thus'the power exerted upon tliia clamp '17 is any, multiplied. Asthe lever 28 moves downwardly about the in 2Q, theclutch plate 157: is released and au omatically grips the post 3 because of the action of the spring 19 sag holds the bar 7 against any 'returnupwai;

movement. It is thus seen that all the operator need do is to lift upward on the handle 28. when he wishes to raise the clamp, and to press downwardly upon the handle when he wishes to force the clamp into engagement with the material to be held. The downward pressure is greatly multiplied b y the lever 28 so that the material may be firmly clamped in. position without a straining efi'ort on the part of the operator, who 7 need use but one hand to operate the ehnnp.

1-. ,n combination, a support for material tobe sliced, a clamping bar for holding material on said support, means for guiding sai'd clamping bar to move bodily toward and from. said support through successive parallel positions, and power multiplying mechanism arranged to impart a swinging movement to said clamping bar for forring said clamping bar into contact with said material.

2. In combination, a support for material to be sliced, :1 clmnping bar for holding material on said support, a guide on which said bar is slidably mounted and along which it moves bodily toward said support, and a power nn lti lying device arranged to impart a swlnging movement to said clamping bar for forcing said bar into engagement with material on said support.

3. In combination, a support for material to be sliced, a clamping bar for holding material on said support. a guide along which said bar is slidably mounted, a clutch for holding said bar in adjusted positions along said guide, and a lever for moving said bar along said guide and arranged to increase the force exerted by the operator for moving said bar.

4. In combination, a clampin bar, a guide for saidbar, and a pair of c utch devices connecte witlisaidbar and arranged to engage'sar guide tocontrol the movement of said baralo'ng, said guide, both of said clutch devices being arranged to oppose movement of said clamping bar in the same direction alo5ngi said guide,

n comb nation, a clam 111 uide for saidbar,a pair of cl utc devices 11.5

or contf rolliii the movement of said her along said guide, a r1d a lever for operating said clutch. device's,'one of said clutch devices bein arran ed: to form an abutment against w sai lever bears to move said 1.20 clam ing bar, i

6. n combination, a clamp for material to be sliced, '5 guide for said clamp, aclutch ad uStabIy mounted on said guide and a lever arranged tobear upon said clutch as 126 a stbp to'move said clam ialon "said ide. 7X11; combination, a diam or ma rial to be sliced, a guidefor sai clamp, a pair of clutches for controllin the movement of said clamp relative to sai "guide,and alev'er 130 bar, a

for controllin said clutches and for moving said clamp a ong said guide.

8. In combination, a clamp for material to be sliced, a guide for said clamp, a lever for moving said clamp along said ide, and a clutch adjustable along said 1 e to form a fulcrum for said lever to ena 1e said lever to move said clamp relative to said guide.

9. In combination, a clamp for material to be sliced, a guide for said clamp, a lever for moving said clamp along said guide, a clutch adjustable along said guide and arranged to form a fulcrum for said lever, and a second clutch for holding said clamp in its adjusted positions.

10. In combination, a clamp for material to be sliced, a guide for said clamp, a; pair of clutch devices for controlling the movement of said clamp along said guide, and a lever for operating said clutch devices and arranged in one position to free said devices to permit movement of said clamp relative to said guide and in another position to bear upon one of said clutches as a fulcrum for moving said clamp and to leave the other of said clutches free to hold said clamp against return movement.

11. In combination, a clamp for material to be sliced, a guide for said clamp, a lever for moving said clamp along said guide, and clutching mechanism for controlling the movement of said clamp upon said guide and arranged to cooperate with said lever to permit free movement of said clamp along said guide when said lever is moved in one direction and to enable said lever to form a power multipl ing device for moving said clamp in anot ier direction.

12. In combination a clamp for material to be sliced, a guide for said clamp, a lever pivotall mounted on said clamp, and a pair of clutch devices for controlling the movement of said clamp along said guide and arranged to permit free movement of said clamp when said lever is drawn in onedirection and to form a fulcrum for said lever to force said clamp in the opposite direction and also to prevent return movement of said clamp when so forced.

13. In combination, a clamping bar having an opening at one end thereof, a guide passing through said opening, a lever pivoted to said bar, a pair of clutch plates surrounding said guide, and projections on said lever for controlling said clutchplates, said projections arranged to position said clutch plates for free movement along said bar when said iever is moved in one direction and to bear against one of said clutch plates to force said clamping bar along said guide when said lever is moved in the opposite direction and to simultaneously free the other of said clutch plates to hold said bar against return movement.

14. In combination a clamp for material to be sliced, a guide ior said clamp, a lever for moving said clamp along said ide, means for engaging sald guide to a ord a fulcrum for said lever and se arate means for engaging said guide to ho d said clamp in adjusted positions.

15. In combination, a support for material to be sliced, a: clamping bar for holding material on said support, said bar being adjustable bodil relative to said support for bringing sai bar into engagement with material to be held thereon, and a power multiplying device for imparting a supplemental movement to said ar to press said bar forcibly into engagement with said material and positively acting means for holding said bar in the position into which it is thus moved.

16. In combination, a support for material to be sliced, a clamping bar for holding material on said support, a pivotal connection between said support and one end of said bar, a guide for said pivoted connection along which said connection slides freely when the end of said clamping bar opposite said connection is moved upwardly, said pivotal connection being adjustable toward and from said support, and a power multiplying device for swinging said bar about said pivotal connection to press said bar into engagement with material on said support.

17. In combination a support for material to be sliced, a smooth upright guide on said support, a pivot mounted for sliding movement along said ide, a clamping bar having one end thereo c arried by said pivot, means for moving said clamping bar and pivot bodily toward said support to bring said clamping bar into engagement with material on said support, and a power multiplying device to impart a supplemental movement of said bar about said ivot to force said bar into engagement with said material.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, on this 13th day of August, A. D. 1917.

ooRNELIs F. M. VAN BERKEL.

copies of thil potent may be obtained for in cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.". 

